fall 03 continuum FINAL for web.qxp

CALENDAR
ISTERCIAN
PREPARATORY SCHOOL
3660 CISTERCIAN ROAD
IRVING, TX 75039-4599
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19 Ring Ceremony
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January
6 Alumni College Day
30 Moroney Award Dinner
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7 Admissions testing
19 Arts Festival
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March
7 Book Fair
14 MS Open House
On Prayerdd
outrageously good that we wanted to escape from his presence
because we felt ashamed and embarrassed by the way he looked
at us? He made us acutely aware of our own dark side, our long
cherished vices and sins. Since God is infinite goodness, our
Hebrews 12:29
embarrassment and our urge to escape from Him may become
We know abstractly that God’s goodness and love are
quite intense. God, then, is love in his own nature, but only the
boundless, yet we have a hard time believing it because we
pure of heart can experience it as love. To the extent that we
are also aware of God’s justice and
remain opposed to him, we perceive
the eternal punishment of hell. The
his goodness as a threat. Instead of
existence of hell and the real poscausing warmth and delight, the
sibility of our ending up there
flame of his love burns us. This is the
IN M E M ORIUM
makes us either question God’s
case even with the lukewarm and the
mercy altogether or at least put a
half-hearted. When thinking of God,
Trey Hunt ’74 of Palm Springs, CA,
limit on God’s mercy. It cannot be
they also feel uncomfortable.
died April 25, 2003. He was a
pure and infinite love. In fact, it
The good news, however, is that
Broadway stage manager in New York
seems to be severely limited by his
we are still alive and have time to
City for 14 years. He is survived by his
punishing justice.
act. Instead of staying a safe dissister, Lora of Mason, Texas; his brothThis, however, is not the way
tance from God, we should expose
er, Dane of Lewisville, Texas; and his
St. Bernard and the Fathers of the
ourselves to his fire. Even if it is
mother, Jackie of Mason, Texas.
Church think of God: God’s
unpleasant and painful, let us ask
Cistercian classmates remember
nature, according to them (and
him to burn out all the trash from
Trey for his quick laugh, his dramatic
according to Scripture) is pure and
our hearts, all that is impure, selfish
bent, and his beloved “Mumsie.”
infinite love, not limited or temand duplicitous within us. Let us
Trey was a founding editor of The
pered in any way whatsoever. Yet,
also ask him to give us opportuniInformer (giving the publication its
to the extent that we are sinners,
ties to choose His will over ours, to
name) and attended Middlebury
God’s love remains hidden from
provide situations in which our love
College in Vermont.
us. Thinking of God becomes
for Him may become real. He will
Abbot Denis will include a memopainful, a condemning judgment, a
not refuse such a prayer. Then,
rial for Trey in the program for the
fire that we want to avoid.
gradually, we will be able to taste
Class of ’74’s 30th reunion in June.
Did we ever encounter a truly
how good the Lord is.
good person? Someone who was so
— Fr. Roch Kereszty
“Our God is
a consuming fire”
20
Built
upon a
tradition
The people and values
that shaped Cistercian
architecture
Gary Cunningham ’72 and
the Abbey Church, which
he designed in 1991
Letter from the Headmaster
In this issue... .
Volume 31, Number 1
CISTERCIAN
PREPARATORY
SCHOOL
F
E
A
Built upon a tradition
Photo by Jim Reisch
ADMINISTRATION
Rev. Peter Verhalen ’73
Headmaster
Rev. Bernard Marton
Assistant Headmaster
College Counselor
Greg Novinski ’82
We are all proud of our beautiful facilities. However, the cover
story by David Stewart ’74 reminds us that our buildings reflect
not just “working relationships” among architect and builder
and owner. They also reflect a shared vision of excellence and
humility, of love and respect for nature, of service to God and to student. And they help foster those same attitudes in all who study and work here.
In the second article, David describes the journey a young man might follow in establishing
the closest kind of relationship with Cistercian, in joining the monastery community. The stories of the three novices provide insight into the kind of efforts Abbot Denis and others are
making to help young men discern where they are in their relationship to God and what He
is asking of them.
This issue includes much more, and all the articles create an overpowering sense of gratitude
for Cistercian and a joy in belonging to the Cistercian community. May this little celebration
of joy and gratitude find you and your family preparing for the ultimate joy that is the birth
of our Savior. Merry Christmas.
Dean of Students
R
Robert J. Haaser
Jennifer Rotter
Director of Development
and Alumni Relations
Dan Lee
Director of Athletics
Steve Rasch ’80
President, Cistercian
Alumni Association
EDITORIAL STAFF
David Stewart ’74
Editor & Art Director
Tom B. Pruit
Copy Editor
Sally L. Cook
Jim Reisch
Photography Editor
The CONTINUUM is published by
Seth Henderson
1985 ~ 2003
E
S
6
Director of Admissions
Assistant Copy Editor
Fr. Peter Verhalen ’73
Headmaster
U
From O’Neil Ford
to Al Salem to
Gary Cunningham,
Cistercian’s campus
has been created by
top-notch architects.
While they may
differ visually,
each structure
incorporates integral
Cistercian values:
excellence, honesty,
and humility.
Dear Cistercian Families, Friends, and Alumni,
This issue of The Continuum is arriving just before Christmas
and, like Christmas, celebrates relationships. Through the birth
of his Son in Bethlehem, our heavenly Father healed our relationship with Him and with one another. We prepare to celebrate that birth in Bethlehem by working on our relationships
with God and with one another. In our often rushed days we try
to put a bit more time into thanking one another, listening to one
another, and directing our hopes and desires to joining our heavenly Father.
T
14
Tom Pruit comments on the
Cistercian community’s
outpouring of support for
Seth Henderson ’03 and
the Henderson family.
The heart 11
of the matter
The monastery
has met a wave of
interest in vocations
with a committed
effort to counsel
these young men.
We take a look at the
young men whose
vocations just might
shape the future of
the abbey and the
prep school.
D E P A R T M E N T S
Letter from the Headmaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
School News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Sports News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Class Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
On Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Cover photography: Jim Reisch
Cistercian Preparatory School.
P.O. Box 140699
Irving, TX 75014-0699
469-499-5400
www.cistercian.org
2
The CONTINUUM
December 2003
Cistercian Preparatory School was founded with the aim of preparing talented boys for the colleges of their choice
by challenging their minds with excellent academic programs, molding their character through the values of Catholic
education, and offering them guidance with both understanding and discipline. Cistercian Preparatory School does
not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational practices,
admissions, scholarship programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.
3
Photo by Jim Reisch
Bea Haggerty’s death ends an era
Beatrice “Bea” Haggerty, matriarch of one of
Cistercian’s founding families, passed away Nov. 28.
Mrs. Haggerty (mother of Mike Haggerty ’71 and grandmother of Patrick Haggerty III ’86 and Clinton
Haggerty ’88) and husband Pat Haggerty played a key
role in the school’s formation and were very close to the
school’s first headmaster, Fr. Damian. Their contributions
were detailed in The Continuum’s retrospective last year.
FOR M MASTE R ROTATION
When Brother Gabriel
decided to leave the
monastery this summer, Fr.
Peter had to think carefully
about a form master for Form
I. One name kept popping up
as the headmaster reviewed
his options: Peter Saliga.
“What a huge extension of
confidence and trust on
Cistercian’s behalf,” Saliga
said recently. “Yet, I remember thinking, ‘He has no idea
what he’s asking here ... I’m
the last guy who should be a
form master. Give me eight
years with these forty guys
and there’s no telling how
warped they’ll be by senior
year.’”
Saliga becomes one of a
select number of lay faculty
to be entrusted with a class.
“My chief goal is to form
these little boys into honestto-goodness men,” Saliga
said. “I want to
share with them
the
richest
‘stuff’ life has
to offer.”
But
the
free-wheeling
Saliga of yesteryear has had
to make a few
adjustments.
Peter Saliga
GY M O P E N S
New facility
“phenomenal”
at tourney time
Athletic Director and
Basketball Coach Dan Lee
was gushing with compliments over the way the new
gym functioned during the
Cistercian Tip-Off Classic
Nov. 20-22 (in which the
Hawks prevailed as champs).
“The facility is phenomenal,” Lee said. “It was really
nice having two games going
on at once. By having the
ability to stage two games
simultaneously, we were able
to start at 5 o’clock instead of
3:30, so none of the students
had to miss class.”
Lee also pointed out that
the efficiencies of two gyms
help Booster Club helpers
who don’t have to show up
early. And the concession
stand in the new lobby is well
equipped to handle the
crowds from two games.
“We have a serving
counter, sinks for cleanup,
dedicated counter space for
each machine and a separate
storage room for back up
inventory,” said Bill Novak,
president of the Cistercian
Booster Club.
“Everyone who has
worked the concession has
commented on the roominess
and ease of work compared
to our old set up,” he said. “It
really is a classy operation.”
Then there was the excitement of the games.
“It was a lot of fun being
in there,” Lee said. “We had a
great crowd on Saturday
night that really got the kids
going.” (See sports page 15.)
ALUMN I RELATIONS
Rotter heading
up development
department
Jennifer Rotter, Cistercian’s
new director of development
and alumni relations, had to hit
the ground running when she
arrived in August.
The dedication of the
gymnasium, the annual
report of giving, homecoming, as well as the
Sustentation and Alumni
Phonathon drives helped
Rotter quickly slip into the
flow of things.
“I was very fortunate to
have the help of Sally Cook
and Adam Nevitt ’99 as I
learned the ropes,” she said.
Rotter comes to Cistercian
with a wealth of development
and alumni experience. Most
recently, she served three years
in
Southern
Methodist
University’s Office of Alumni
Relations. There she was hired
as the alumni relations web
manager and was promoted to
director of alumni marketing
and communications.
Rotter also has served as
the director of marketing and
development at Hillcrest
Academy and the assistant to
the director of development
at ESD.
N O T E WO RT H Y
„ Casino Night Mark your calendars for Saturday,
December 20, 2003 for the annual Alumni Casino
Night. It’s a great night to catch up with classmates,
friends, and faculty while enjoying the auction and
casino games. Some items that will be up for bid are
restaurant gift certificates, sports tickets, Montana
fly-fishing trip, artwork by Fr. Damian, and much
more. If you are interested in donating a silent or live
auction item (from trips, condo rentals and air miles
to gift certificates and merchandise), please contact
Adam Nevitt ’99 in the Alumni Relations office (469499-5452, or [email protected]) for additional
information.
„ National Merit Scholars Over half (24 of 42) of
the Class of 2004 was recognized by the National Merit
Scholarship Program this fall. Seventeen qualified as
semifinalists; seven qualified as Commended Students.
A list of the students can be found at www.cistercian.org.
„ AP Scholars Forty students (12 from ’03, 22 from
’04, and six from ’05) were named AP Scholars by the
College Board in recognition of their achievement on the
college-level AP (Advanced Placement) Examinations.
The CONTINUUM
Two alumni among
four new teachers
Photo by Jim Reisch
Photo by Jim Reisch
Saliga hears the
call, becomes
Form I master
“There are so many little
administrative tasks that take
up a lot of ‘thinking time.’
“Then there is the paradigm
shift from being a ‘high school
guy’ who runs the Student
Council to being a ‘first form
guy’who has responsibilities to
these little guys not just this
year but every year until they
graduate.”
It should be quite a ride
for the Class of 2011.
THE PRICE IS RIGHT Kristine Arras, Carolyn Thompson, Bob
Crews, and Cindi Tenney enjoyed working the concession stand
in the new gym during the Cistercian Tip-Off Classic.
School Newsw
Jennifer Rotter
ALUMNI DIRECTORY
New way to
stay in touch
with old friends
Out of circulation for a
number of years, the Alumni
Directory will return in time for
Reunions Weekend in June.
Alums and their parents
should look for a questionnaire and reservation form in
the mail. Online responses
will be welcome.
And yes, there are spots
left for advertisers. Half page
December 2003
Four new teachers joined the ranks of
Cistercian faculty this fall. Two find their
surroundings to be very familiar.
Peter Heyne ’97, a UD grad, is teaching English Lab (Forms I and IV) and
Latin (Form III). Coming back to
Cistercian strikes up some interesting
images for Heyne. “I feel so humbled and
awed by my colleagues [on the faculty]
who have taught here for thirty or more
years. I feel like a little hobbit next to
these giants and Gandalfs.”
Heyne says he is amused by “my students [who] think of me as on the far end
of the Great Adult Barrier Reef, but I am
only 24 and not the Pre-Crustacean Mr.
Chips — not yet.”
Jeffrey A. Tinker ’97, freshly graduated
from Texas A&M, is whipping math students in Forms II and III into shape.
“It is nice to be back,” Tinker said. “I
owe so much to Cistercian, that it’s nice to
be able to give back.” And it has its
rewards. “The best part about being
back,” Tinker insisted, “would have to be
listening to Fr. Matthew. I think he may be
even funnier than when I was here.”
The accent of French students in
Forms V-VII should be improving with
the help of Cistercian’s new French
advertisements go for $60
and full page ads will set you
back $100.
For additional information,
contact the Cistercian Alumni
Office at 469-499-5400.
ACADEMIC CONTESTS
Mathletes and
QBowlers win at
TAMU & OSU
Competing in October
against 40 high schools from
Texas
and
Oklahoma,
Cistercian’s math team took
first place in the Oklahoma
Photo by Jim Reisch
School News
FRESH APPROACH New teachers include
(l-r) Jeff Tinker ’97, Catherine Mathieu,
Anthony Perri, and Peter Heyne ’97.
teacher, Catherine Mathieu. The French
native and mother of three (ages 14, 12,
and two) recently moved to the States
with her husband who works for a French
optical company. Having taught English
in France, she has been pleasantly surprised by the reception she received at
Cistercian.
“The faculty has made me feel welcome, made me feel like a real asset,”
Mathieu said. “Everyone is so ready to
help, even the headmaster.”
Anthony Perri first heard of Cistercian
from Wyatt Maxwell ’00, who was a freshman in the Notre Dame dorm where Perri
served as resident assistant. After graduation, Perri served two years in Notre
Dame’s highly selective ACE (Alliance for
Catholic Education) Program and taught
middle school English in rural southern
Louisiana.
Perri has been busy teaching English
(Form II) and History (Form IV). Along
with colleague Peter Heyne, he also
enthusiastically supported the Form IV
football team this fall.
State University High School
Math Contest. Cistercian’s
team includes John Davies
’04, Brett Naul ’04, and
James Peacock ’04. St.
Mark’s placed second.
In November, Cistercian
mathletes again took first out
of 35 teams at the Texas
A&M High School Math
Contest. Other Dallas schools
placing were Greenhill
(third) and St. Mark’s (fifth).
Names of the participants
can be found on Dr. Richard
Newcomb’s Web site at
www. cistercian. org.
Cistercian’s four Quiz
Bowl teams cruised to
Stillwater and the Oklahoma
State University campus in
September. The Hawks
earned first and second place
trophies for their efforts in a
tournament that included the
former OK state champions.
Just before Thanksgiving,
the teams travelled to the
TAMU tournament. The
teams earned two trophies
with a second and third place
finish. Cistercian’s other
teams placed fourth and
sixth. John Davies ’04 won
honors as the all-tournament
high-point scorer.
For more information on
the Quiz Bowl program, go
to Fr. Gregory’s Web site at
www.cistercian.org.
5
The roofs of the west gym, east gym, and
Upper School reveal much about the era
and architect of each.
Built
upon a
tradition
How three architects
combined to create
a campus grounded
in Cistercian values
Text by David Stewart ’74
Photography by Jim Reisch
T
HE SILENCE IN THE 1970 BOARD MEETING
ached with tension. Fr. Denis Farkasfalvy, Cistercian’s
brash, 34-year-old headmaster, had just declared his
intention to find a new architect to work on the school’s
newest project, a gymnasium scheduled to begin construction in 1971.
The school board members were stunned, especially Patrick
Haggerty. The chairman of Texas Instruments (and an important
benefactor of the school) had insisted on using O’Neil Ford to
design the Middle and Upper Schools. The look on his face made
it clear that he saw no need to switch architects now.
Bryan Smith, Haggerty’s associate at TI, had enthusiastically
supported the idea of using Ford to design the first two buildings.
“Neil’s involvement always promised something creative,”
Smith said recently.
“But there were ups and downs with Neil,” added Smith. “You
had to sleigh through that. While you usually got a product that
was very worthwhile, you had to learn to deal with the eccentricities, like his failing to complete working drawings.”
“The decision to hire another architect for the gym was an evolutionary thing,” Smith suggested. “There were budgetary considerations. Personally, I felt that a gym wouldn’t require Ford’s
talents anyway.”
After some reflection, Smith supported the headmaster’s decision to find another architect. But he has never doubted the importance of hiring Ford to design the first two buildings at Cistercian.
“Neil really made the ultimate contribution [to the Cistercian
campus] by establishing the present design, structure, and
arrangement of the total complex,” Smith said.
6
The founders’ decision to use Ford on the first two buildings
“made a clear statement that this school would be dedicated to
excellence,” Smith emphasized. The founders and Ford succeeded with a design that helped persuade parents in the sixties that
this school in the wilds of Irving would be special indeed; it is a
design that continues to impress prospective parents nearly 40
years later.
“As you enter the campus, you certainly get the feeling that
you are entering a special place, part nature preserve, part
learning retreat center,” said Scott Prengle, father of Bobby
Prengle ’10.
“I am struck by how well the design complements the setting,”
said Connie White, mother of Aaron White ’07. “It is clear the
founders had an appreciation for the environmental setting. I also
think by being modern instead of traditional, it was very forward
thinking and progressive. It suggests that fitting in does not have
to mean adhering to a traditional mold; instead it means living for
the future.”
Duane Landry, the grandfather of Nathan Helms ’07 and
John Henry Helms ’10, served as Ford’s project architect on both
the Middle School and the Upper School.
“I worked most closely with Fr. Damian on the projects,”
Landry remembered. “Abbot Anselm and Fr. Philip Szeitz also
were involved.” (Szeitz would leave the priesthood in 1965.)
“The work of Ford and Landry here at Cistercian has held up
extremely well,” said David Dillon, who has served as the architectural critic for The Dallas Morning News for 20 years and has
written a book on Ford (The Architecture of O’Neil Ford,
Celebrating Place). “It is nice, clean, simple. Like much of
The CONTINUUM
Ford’s work, it uses a subdued palette
cessors, the gym was universally deemed
with fine but not flashy detailing. There’s
a great success upon its completion. Just
lots of natural light and a strong connecas Ford’s architecture on the school buildtion with the environment.”
ings had made a statement of excellence,
The turquoise, red, and blue light fixthe gym demonstrated that Cistercian was
tures on the outside of the building are
no longer handicapped in athletics,
typical of Ford’s work and were made by
drama, and art. Applications skyrocketed
Martha Mood, a longtime colleague of
the following spring.
Ford’s.
“The gym’s large two-story entrance is
“She was a wonderful artist,” Landry
not of the same scale as the entrance to the
said, “Some of her stitcheries and
Ford buildings,” David Dillon remarked.
appliqué work sit today in famous collec“But it is a product of its time. It’s part of
tions. The light fixtures were slip cast, and
the biography of the campus. It’s a period
then before they were fired, she punched
you went through. Sometimes too much
holes and drew lines in them. Then she’d
emphasis is placed on continuity and
fire them, paint them and fire them
coherence.”
again.”
Fr. Denis and Al Salem collaborated
— David Dillon,
The architecture of the Middle and
on
several smaller projects (e.g., the conArchitecture critic,
Upper Schools feels good, literally.
necting
structure between the Middle and
The Dallas Morning News
“To appreciate Ford’s work, you need
Upper Schools, the elevator at the
to go around and touch things,” Dillon
monastery). But by 1983 when work
said. “His work is very tactile.”
began on the school’s next large project, the science center, Fr.
Of course, boys are always happy to touch things and to
Denis had stepped down as headmaster.
explore the durability of their surroundings. For nearly 40 years
Salem would work on the science center with the new headstudents have enjoyed the feel of Cistercian’s gray carpet, woodmaster, Fr. Bernard Marton, as well as two 27-year-old fund-raispaneled walls, Spanish tile floors, and Mexican brick.
ers, Jere Thompson ’74 and Jim Moroney ’74.
Although Fr. Denis turned to another architect for the gym,
“It was not as simple a process as working with Fr. Denis,”
Ford’s architectural philosophy would continue to echo through
Salem acknowledged.
the campus as new buildings were constructed.
“We visited Hockaday and St. Mark’s, which had just completed new science centers,” Thompson remembered. They
helped the design evolve and grow to include key elements like a
BBOT DENIS SAID THE GYM PROJECT resembled
computer lab, large lecture hall (now the theater), and teacher
a mouse that grew into an elephant. But through the
offices. What was originally planned as a three-wing structure
many dramatic evolutions and changes, Fr. Denis insist(one for chemistry, physics, and biology) became a two-story box.
ed on one constant: the gym must include the Mexican
But the decision-makers appear to have been influenced pribrick Ford had used.
marily by their years in the hallways and classrooms of
“Ford used this brick on many of his buildings,” Dillon said.
Cistercian’s Middle and Upper Schools.
“O’Neil loved the color and softness of the Mexican brick.” The
They insisted on Mexican bricks, additional windows with
bricks’ softness results from their being handmade and being
dried in the sun instead of fired in a kiln.
“Before accepting delivery of the bricks, Ford insisted that
O’Neil Ford’s Mexican brick, arched window
they drop a few from the back of the truck. If half of them broke,
openings,
signature light fixtures and Spanish
they’d be sent back,” Dillon said.
tiles set the tone for the entire campus.
Covered in Ford’s Mexican brick, the gym would bear at least
some resemblance to the school buildings next door.
Fr. Schott, then president of Jesuit, recommended an architect
named Al Salem, who had designed the gym at St. Rita. Salem’s
friendly demeanor and willingness to respond quickly helped him
develop an immediate bond with the young headmaster. They
worked easily together.
Fr. Denis, never renowned for his love of sports, began attending basketball games all over the Metroplex so he could study the
benefits and shortcomings of various gymnasium designs.
One of his findings made a major impact on the appearance of
the gym. “The windows along the top of many gyms,” Fr. Denis
remembered, “forced spectators to shade their eyes during afternoon games. I asked Al to incorporate a shade over the windows.”
That feature led to the buildings’ signature white buttresses.
The project, which started out to be just a gym and some locker rooms, grew to include a large art room and a stage with stateof-the-art lighting. The cost of the project grew from around
$400,000 to $750,000.
While not possessing the architectural panache of its prede-
“[The old gym] is a
product of its time.
It’s part of the
biography of the
campus. It’s a period
you went through.
Sometimes, too much
emphasis is placed on
continuity and
coherence.”
A
December 2003
7
Cistercian abbey churches in Europe
arched openings to provide lots of natural
along with information on the tradition of
light inside, Spanish tiles, and the same
church building. Cunningham was particlight fixtures that O’Neil Ford had used
ularly struck by a Vatican II document.
on the school buildings. Outside,
“It discussed the attitude for building a
Moroney and Thompson wanted a landchurch,” Cunningham remembered. “The
scaped courtyard between the science
three primary tenets were honesty, craftscenter and the Middle and Upper Schools
manship, and humility.” All three tenets
rather than just a slab of concrete.
fit in nicely with Cunningham’s own phiAll of these elements helped to tie the
losophy of building, which was influnew building in with the O’Neil Ford
enced by the contemporary Cistercian trabuildings and perpetuate a tradition.
dition established by O’Neil Ford.
Moroney and Thompson proposed
“Ford’s architecture expresses honthat arches be used to connect the new
esty,” Cunningham said. “For example,
building with the Middle and Upper
you can see the beams. The ceiling is what
Schools, at a cost $80,000. The young
— Gary Cunningham ’72
it is. Ford didn’t hide the structure of a
fund-raisers found the money, and the
building. I think that’s important so stuarches were constructed. “The arches
dents can see the structure around them and know how it works.
added a certain character and feel the area wouldn’t have had othBuildings can teach honesty.”
erwise,” Thompson said.
Cunningham’s design for the Abbey Church would be radicalFor the first time, the Cistercian campus had some depth and
ly honest and straightforward, using limestone blocks as both
its first partially enclosed outdoor space.
exterior and interior walls, with no veneers, no plaster, no
“This [courtyard] is the kind of space that Ford might have
sheetrock to disguise the structure of the building.
designed,” David Dillon commented on a recent visit. “It has a
Craftsmanship also jumps out at you in both Ford’s and
nice sense of enclosure, yet it is not intimidating. The scale is of
Cunningham’s work.
a very intimate level.”
“The Vatican II document suggested that in a church, one
should ‘avoid perfection,’” Cunningham said. “Elements should
VER THE DIN OF CLANKING PLATES AND
be made from human hands and express our humanity. The natuglasses at the old Dixie House on McKinney Avenue in
ral qualities of materials and human craftsmanship should stand
the spring of 1990, Jere Thompson and Peter Smith ’74
out.”
asked Gary Cunningham ’72 if he’d be interested in
“Ford had a repertory company of craftsman around,” David
designing a church at Cistercian.
Dillon said. “One would do nothing but tile, another (like his
Thompson had heard Cunningham was making a name for
brother Lynn Ford) nothing but wood and metal.”
himself and believed that having an alumnus design the church
In the construction of the Abbey Church, Cunningham
would make a powerful statement. (Thompson’s fundraising
employed a wide variety of craftsmen, from the stonemasons who
pitch promised, “An alumnus will design it, an alumnus (Wade
chiseled the 9’x 6’x 3’Champagne limestone blocks to the woodAndres ’75) will build it, and an alumnus (Fr. Peter Verhalen ’73)
workers who handmade the pews on the church floor.
will say Mass in it.”)
Cunningham himself along with artist David Sines created the
Cunningham expressed great interest to Thompson and Smith
crosses that grace the top of the church (Cunningham etched his
and soon met with Abbot Denis. Not long thereafter, the communame on them) and the Holy Water receptacles. Artist Billy
Hassell ’74 designed the tabernacle doors.
nity of monks approved his appointment.
“It was a pretty
“The building is not the most important thing,” Cunningham
big deal doing a
insisted, however, in reference to humility. “The building is there
building for a place
for the people who occupy it. It is a backdrop to the activity or
Architect Al Salem
where I was basifunction of the building. It should not call attention to itself.”
in front of the gym
cally
raised,”
The Middle School and Upper School designs recall very
he designed in 1971.
Cunningham said,
humble “dog-trot houses” (i.e., two sections with an area in the
“and for teachers
middle to allow for ventilation), according to David Dillon. The
who had a such a
design is friendly, not grandiose.
big impact on my
Inside the Abbey Church, attention isn’t drawn to the sophistilife. Right from the
cated way the roof floats above the floor, but it is easy to sense the
start, I felt this
light as it changes when clouds glide lazily in front of the sun.
might be the most
For Cunningham, it was a dream project. “Everything came
significant project
together in an amazing fashion,” he said. “The builder (Andres
of my life. After all,
Construction Services), the subcontractors, the client, how I was
this church would
working at the time — everything was aligned. The importance
be here for a long
of this project inclined me to become really involved in every
detail.”
time.”
“I love it,” David Dillon said. “It is one of my favorite churchTo help ground
es in the Metroplex. And it was risky. Gary doesn’t always choose
his new architect in
the safest route.”
the project, Abbot
Denis handed over
“It really is an abbey church; it has the austere quality of an
lots of pictures of
abbey church from the eighth or ninth century in certain ways —
“You can see the beams
... Ford didn’t hide the
structure of a building.
I think that’s important
so students can see the
structure around them
and know how it works.
Buildings can
teach honesty.”
O
The CONTINUUM
QUIRKY CUNNINGHAM Gary Cunningham ’72, a
self-proclaimed contrarian, leans on his leaning
pillars at the east gym.
the massiveness of it, the ruggedness, and yet the detailing of it is
very delicately modern. The windows are very crisp. I love the
roof and the light.”
“We’re so used to seeing stone veneer, architects using limestone that is 3/8” thick at best. It’s almost like wallpaper. Here
each block weighs several tons. It creates ancient Biblical associations with the rock and the cave.”
“I tried to fulfill in the Abbey Church,” said Cunningham, “an
image of what I saw in this community — permanence, roots that
stretch back centuries, and a weighty, stable product.”
“I told Gary at the time it was completed,” Abbot Denis said,
“‘I think there will be a time when this church will be among the
architectural sites visitors want to see when they come to
Dallas.’”
“I had to respond. How do you build a wall? How do you build
a roof, a window? I wanted to build it the same way as Ford
would build it. That’s the way I’d do it anyway. For example,
solid masonry walls hold the building up.”
But budgetary constraints forced Cunningham to improvise.
“On the window openings in the Middle School, Ford used
arches. Since we couldn’t afford to do arches, we poured a concrete beam above the window to support the weight. We left the
concrete exposed.” Once again, the tradition of honesty.
As an architectural student at the University of Texas in the
seventies, Cunningham had the chance to be instructed by Ford.
He and his cohorts also spent many hours “just hanging out” in
Ford’s San Antonio office.
“He taught us to be independent-minded. He inspired us to
buck the system and to do things
UT IT IN HALF,”
differently,” Cunningham rememAbbot Denis told
bered. “He was a contrarian.”
Cunningham in
To create covered walkways,
1997 after months
Cunningham sought the most
had been spent on
efficient, least expensive solua large-scale design for the
tion: simple columns and conCunningham’s approach is exemplified
school’s new library. “The scope
crete slabs. Where possible, the
by how his slab-covered walkway interand budget are not in keeping
slab roofs were cantilevered from
sects with the science center’s arches.
with the school. It is too ambithe library itself to eliminate the
tious.”
need for columns (“Columns are
“We knew the budget was
expensive,”
Cunningham
creeping upwards,” Cunningham remembered, “but it was the
remarked.)
abbot who had the clear vision of what was appropriate for
When confronted with the issue on how to “blend” his no-frills
Cistercian. He is the steward of the school and abbey.”
covered walkways with the arches that had been built to connect
Still, his behavior is often misinterpreted, according to
the science building to the Middle School, Cunningham simply
Cunningham.
“stuck it to,” uh, under the arches.
“The abbot may play a large role in issues, but it is not about
“I like to take the straightforward, functional approach,” he
him,” he insisted. “It’s about his job as abbot. He takes that very
said.
seriously. He is strong and protective. He has a real sense of duty.”
Cunningham, however, proved far more sensitive to the issue
With the project resized, Cunningham focused on the key
of how the library would interact with the monastery on one side
architectural issues involved in the project.
and the campus on the other.
“The library was the first building on campus that I did. While
“Since the library was the last building built toward the abbey,
it involved the same players as the Abbey Church, it was a very
we used a copper roof that slopes down,” Cunningham explained.
different project because of all the issues related to Ford,”
“The library almost disappears into the landscape when viewed
Cunningham said.
from the monastery. That’s important because the monks need to
“C
December 2003
9
The east gym gives the campus a
sense of completeness by containing
the science center on the north and
forming a new courtyard.
have their peace and quiet away from the school or they’re not
going to be good teachers.”
On the school side, the roof slopes up towards the science center, opening the library up to the rest of the campus. The library
and science center form a courtyard.
On his tour of the library, critic David Dillon remarked,
“O’Neil would have loved this. The exposed beams, the natural
light, the materials.”
“It is clearly a modern building,” Dillon added as he walked
outside under the cantilevered covered walkway, “but it is not
out of character with the other buildings. The way the windows
are done, the way the canopy is done are all very much a modernist way of doing things and yet it fits in very nicely with what
is here.”
“T
HE GYM IS MY FAVORITE BUILDING on
campus,” Cunningham said. “It is so simple and so
pretty. It does what it is supposed to do. I like the
twist with the leaning columns on the covered
walkway.”
Cunningham placed the columns perpendicular to the walkway
that climbs up a slight incline (4.9 degrees). The columns look
“off” when viewed in relation to the thin windows of the gym.
Those thin windows caused a great deal of debate.
“Some clients,” Cunningham commented, “don’t want to listen to new ideas or try anything new. At Cistercian, there are really no constraints. I am free to pursue a vision.”
“We debated about the windows in the gym,” Cunningham
said, “but they let me do it. And now they love them.”
The structure appears to have added more to the campus than
just one simple building. “It balances the library and contains the
science center, forming a third courtyard,” Cunningham said. It
results in a feeling of completeness and creates a new complexity to the campus.
“The landscaping was inspired by Fr. Peter’s request for plants
that require less water,” he added. “We were all set to go with the
more manicured look with Bermuda and Shumard red oaks. But
Fr. Peter led us to create a plan of native plants, including buffalo
grass, red buds, and cedar elms.
“The native plants will create a much more natural looking environment for the school.
In two years, it will appear really rugged and simple, like the
building.” (Fr. Peter already is
so pleased with the result that
he is considering a plan to
install more native plants in
other areas of the campus.)
Cunningham seems to thrive
on such contributions. “The
team around me is critical,” he
said. “Lonnie Burns has worked
with me for eight or nine years.
Bang Dang gives me great
ideas. And having a company
like Andres Construction that
can handle changes is great.
Rodger Harrison, the project
superintendent, wants to do
what’s best for Cistercian and as
long as we’re making the final
product better, Rodger is all for changes.”
“While Abbot Denis may make the final decision, he listens to
five or six support people, like Fr. Peter, Peter Smith, Warren
Andres ’75, Jere Thompson, and most recently, Pat Villareal.
Without these people in the process, the product would be substandard. The project is only as good as the people involved.”
Cunningham also is working with Abbot Denis on plans to
preserve the peace and solitude of the abbey. At the heart of the
plan is the hill between the school and the monastery.
“The hill separates the school from the abbey, it preserves the
peace of the abbey,” said Cunningham. “It also marks this place
as something special. It should be preserved.”
The abbot is attempting to zone the hill so that nothing can be
built on it. There is, however, talk of constructing a mausoleum
for the monks within the hill.
So, Cunningham continues to build upon the Cistercian architectural tradition pioneered by O’Neil Ford, one that is sensitive
to the mission of the school and to the environment.
“While they have very little in common visually,” reflected
David Dillon, “O’Neil and Gary both share a love for materials.
They also share a spirit. In Gary’s office, they really like to make
stuff. He likes to have artisans around and work collaboratively.
It’s an arts and crafts style. And that’s exactly the way Ford used
to work.”
“They also share a real passion for architecture. It’s not some
abstract, technical exercise,” Dillon added. “It is about your soul.
It’s the most wonderful thing you can do with your life.”
Most recently, Cunningham worked with Abbot Denis and
Andres Construction to renovate the west wing of the abbey.
“I know that Gary has no higher goal than to do the best for
this community,” Abbot Denis stressed. “He wants this community to be as comfortable as possible. And in open meetings with
the monks, he’ll remind us that the architecture should maintain
the humility of the community. He watches over us.”
“It’s the Cistercian vision,” Cunningham said. “The monks set
the tone. This is about Cistercian; it’s not about us. The architecture is only important so that the monks can do their work.
“I feel good about helping them,” he added. “but I don’t do it
for that reason. I do it because it is needed. And I know how much
they’re needed.”
the heart of
the matter
A look at the young men whose decisions
to join the monastery just might shape the
future of the abbey and the prep school.
By David Stewart ’74
T BEGAN TO SCARE ME,” Br. Abraham
said. The Cistercian novice is one of three
who began life in the monastery this summer. He was remembering his visit with
Abbot Denis last fall. “The closer I came to
making a decision about the priesthood, the scarier it became. I
didn’t come back for a couple of months,” he admitted.
Abbot Denis and Fr. Roch, with whom Br. Abraham had first
made contact, assumed another promising young man had been
lost. It wouldn’t have been the first. Over the past four
years, they have spent countless hours doing
what they can to counsel young men interested in a vocation. They have promoted a consecrated life through
bible studies, talks, literature, virtually every means possible.
The stakes are high: the
future of the monastery
and the prep school
depends on a new wave
of young priests. The
clock is ticking.
“This is my highest
priority,” Abbot Denis
said. “I have spent
hours and hours listening to people, following
false leads.
“But it is never time
wasted,” he said. “It just
takes a lot of groundwork.
The attention we have given
“I
has helped many young men a great deal.
“Now we have three novices in the monastery and more are
on the way,” he said. “You make your own good luck.”
Still, Br. Abraham’s return was a surprise.
“During that time, I felt something was missing,” Br.
Abraham recalled. “So I came back in March. By this time, I
had come to the conclusion that this was what God had called
me to do. I met with Abbot Denis one more time. By April, I
was writing my application.”
“Initially,” recalled Br. Joseph, “I did not have
the maturity or insight to see past what the
secular world would have us believe:
that success in life necessarily means
being loved by a woman, having
plenty of money, and not
answering to any authority
above yourself.”
“As long as I thought of
success in these terms
alone, and as long as I
was hounded by the idea
that my natural and
healthy desires for marriage and independence
were proof that I wasn’t
really called to the
priesthood, I was simply
unable to truly respond to
my calling. Without contact with spiritual and
insightful priests like the ones
that I met here at the monastery,
December 2003
10
The CONTINUUM
Photo by Jim Reisch
11
I never would have come to see that a vocation is truly a gift, not
a burden.”
One of the young men now considering a vocation, we’ll call
him Daniel, is still going through this scary stage.
“In this day and age,” Daniel said, “it is somewhat difficult
to face the reality of the priesthood and religious life. At first I
was quite timid about even discussing the possibility of a vocation because it doesn’t follow the general trend of what people
do with their lives. But Fr. Denis has helped to draw me out of
that reluctance, that suppression of the reality of a vocation.”
Fr. Roch Kereszty wrote a brief document called “Steps in
Decision Making” that provides some practical advice to young
men confronting the inevitable indecision. It begins:
“When you begin to think about a vocation, it is so easy to
start off with the wrong question, ‘Where could I be most
happy?’ If your first goal is your own happiness, you will never
reach it. ‘Whoever wants to keep his life will lose it’ (Mt 16:25).
Instead, you should repeat Saul’s question he asked as he was
lying in the dust of the road to Damascus: ‘Lord, what do you
want me to do?’”
“Like all beautiful lifestyles,” said Br. Joseph, “[the priesthood] involves sacrifices, but what I had to learn was that, in the
end, these hardships are so dramatically outweighed by what I
receive: a unique opportunity to grow closer to the Incarnate
God by imitating his pure and submissive love for His Father
and for His people.
“These graces are hard to appreciate at first,” he emphasized,
“and I think that many vocations are aborted very early because
the blessings are hidden compared to the sacrifices. So long as
a young man does not see God’s calling as a special and personal gift from a father who loves him, he can never really
devote himself to exploring a way of life that involves sacrifices
1212
as obvious as those involved in priesthood and monastic life.
“And I think that’s the unsung tragedy that exists behind the
‘vocation crisis’ that we are seeing these days: how truly unfortunate it is when somebody misses his true calling because he
can’t see how wonderful it really is.”
ROTHER ATHANASIUS, WHO RANKS AS the
elder statesman among the three novices at 29,
spent two years preparing to become a priest in the
El Paso diocese. But he became disenchanted and
left the four-year program.
He was introduced to the Cistercians at the University of
Dallas where he was studying theology while serving as youth
minister at All Saints Parish in North Dallas. He became
acquainted with Fr. Roch, Fr. Denis, and Fr. David Balas.
“It was surprising even to myself, but it just kind of clicked,”
Br. Athanasius said. “It felt really good.”
The theology the Cistercians offered rang true. “I was looking for a theology that was faithful to the teaching of the Church
and Pope. That was really the most important factor for me. The
Cistercians offered that.”
“It was little things, too. Fr. Roch started his class with
prayer,” he said. “That sends a very important message. It puts
the class in the context of prayer, asking for His guidance.
“At the masses here and the Liturgy of the Hours, I could
sense the great reverence for the mass and the dignified worship
of God. Mass in many parishes often appears more focused on
the community, offering support to each other. While that's
important, the priority should be on God. It is through God that
we become one body.
“I was working hard at developing a vibrant prayer life. You
B
The CONTINUUM
Photo by Jim Reisch
THE FUTURE IS NOW (l-r)
Br. Athanasius, Fr. Roch, Br. Joseph,
Abbot Denis, and Br. Abraham
stand in front of the Abbey Church
could see that prayer was a big priority for them.”
which often performs in the Abbey Church.
But while Athanasius was receiving a spiritual boost at the
“That helped me to view the abbey in a different way,”
Cistercian monastery, he was considering his options. He
explained John, who happens to be an alumnus of Cistercian
became interested in an order in Boston called The Oblates of
Prep School. “I saw the serious, adult side of how the faith is
the Virgin Mary.
practiced over at the monastery.”
“Athanasius called me after his visit to Boston,” Abbot Denis
“Then I spoke at length to Fr. James Lehrberger and to Fr.
remembered. “He wanted to talk about whether or not he should
Robert Maguire who taught me English at UD,” he added. “I
join that order. I told him, ‘Look, I cannot discuss with you
didn’t know either of them from the prep school, but I was very
another religious community that I do not know anything about.
impressed by them and their contentment with their vocation,
If you come to me, I will tell you to join us.”
their feel for their faith and monastic life.”
Athanasius still wanted to talk.
While the wave of interest in vocations surprised everyone,
“OK,” Fr. Denis sighed. “Let’s talk.”
the monastery was prepared. Approximately one year before,
Two weeks later, Athanasius submitted his application to the
Abbot Denis had formed a vocations committee comprised of
Cistercians.
himself, Fr. Roch (the novice master), Fr. Bernard Marton, Fr.
Peter Verhalen ‘73, and Fr. Paul McCormick (the vocations
“There were a number of factors,” Br. Athanasius said. “The
fact that the Cistercians are teachers is very important to me. I
director). Meeting about once a month, the committee members
also like the fact that the Cistercians are here in Dallas. I was
set goals, report on activity, share wisdom, and provide encourraised in Texas. It is home. But the
agement. Each understands that increasclincher was the relationships I estabing the ranks of the monastery is of the
“To this day,
lished. I trust Fr. Denis and Fr. Roch.
highest priority.
I still struggle
They care about me. They are men I
“The committee helps us remain
respect. I feel very comfortable placing
focused. This endeavor takes that kind of
with every sort
my life in their hands.”
effort,” Abbot Denis insisted. “You have
While the Cistercians’ orthodox theolto keep the fire burning.”
of doubt that
ogy, the opportunity to teach, and the trust
“I will interrupt anything I am doing
the mind and
engendered by the monks played the key
to take a call from a young man considroles in the decisions of all three novices,
ering a vocation,” said Abbot Denis. “I
imagination can
each has been very excited by their expohave no higher priority.”
sure to the larger Cistercian community.
“Perhaps there was no shortage of
conjure up. But
“We couldn’t walk five feet at the footvocations before,” Abbot Denis postulat... the certainty
ball games without being swarmed with
ed, “just a shortage of responses to them.”
people,” said Br. Abraham. “The sense of
The five members of the vocations
in my heart has
gratitude the parents have for the
committee bring to bear approximately
monastery and the school is remarkable.”
142 years of experience in shaping
been a constant.”
“The community is a very strong
young men. Between their commitment
— John,
force,” Abbot Denis said. “The novices
and their experience, the Cistercians are
young man
are very impressed with the way we are
certain to respond enthusiastically to
considering a vocation
anchored and emotionally at home with
those seeking a vocation. And they can
our boys. They are astonished when we
be expected to do so with patience and
talk about them at meal times. We know so much about them.
care.
There is this ongoing memory of hundreds of boys. They can
The abbot’s commitment to the young men — not just to
see how rich this life is in personal relationships. It is a fruitful,
swelling the ranks in the monastery — speaks volumes.
dedicated life we lead. We are not spinning our wheels.”
“First and foremost,” said Daniel, “his general interest and
“And,” he added, “there are more and more boys to be raised.”
concern is for me. He wants to see what is really in my heart, to
see if God is calling me. He is not so much into assigning me to
a priestly vocation but seeing what is going on in my life.”
E BEGAN TO SEE A NUMBER of
“I am grateful that there isn’t constant pressure,” John said.
young men coming to the abbey for
“I had been holding off dating for some time because I felt I
counseling about two and a half years
might join the priesthood. But when I began struggling with the
ago,” Abbot Denis reflected. The sudidea of joining the monastery last year, they encouraged me to
den wave of interest in religious life
begin dating again. That freedom helped me come to a more
from students at the University of Dallas is as unmistakable as
permanent decision.”
it is unexplainable.
“To this day,” John said, “I still struggle with every sort of
“I don’t know what is behind this phenomenon,” said anothdoubt that the mind and imagination can conjure up. But at
er one of the UD students who is considering a vocation (we’ll
moments of peacefulness, contemplation, and prayerfulness, the
call him John). “I can’t exactly think of any one particular reacertainty in my heart has been a constant.”
son why now or what it is in these particular guys. But, I have
“These young men always have to make up their own
been deeply impressed by the level of spirituality in the classes
minds,” insisted Fr. Roch. “Basically, it is God’s grace that
immediately above and below me at UD. It seems that many
decides such things. It is so independent from us.”
people at UD are very interested in taking an active role in their
“For years, we had very few vocations,” he added. “We put
faith at a young age.”
in a lot of effort but received few lasting results. All of a sudden,
John became interested in the monastery through his
these guys are falling out of the sky. We have a role to play, but
involvement in UD’s liturgical choir, the Collegium Cantorum,
they are really an undeserved gift.”
“W
December 2003
13
SETH HENDERSON: 1985 ~ 2003
I
Sports News.d
N A HEAVY SOLEMNITY, we watched the gym slowly fill, first in
14
The CONTINUUM
First-time offensive starters fuel Hawks’ 2003 attack
Team wins four of final five games, including a victory over eventual SPC II champ Oakridge
The All Saints tackler rocked the
world of running back Connor Arras ’04
on a first quarter carry. The hit to the facemask would have stunned any player, but
this Cistercian tailback had not played
football since Form IV. Arras stumbled to
the sideline, wobbly kneed and dizzy.
The coaches expected he was done. His
mom and his dad, Oscar Arras ’78, wondered how their boy would react.
They found out in the second half
when Arras returned to the field, rushing
with a vengeance and gaining over 100
yards for the night.
Arras’ performance that September
night mirrored the performance of the
Hawks this season, a year in which they
won only one of their first five games,
then went on to win four of the final five.
“The turning point,” said Head Coach
Steve McCarthy, “was Oakridge. It was
the first time all season that we put
together two good halves.” Oakridge
came into the contest with just one defeat
(a three-point loss to Holland Hall). They
would not lose another game all season
and would win their first-ever SPC
Division II championship.
“Coach Taylor deserves a lot of credit for preparing our defense for their nohuddle offense,” McCarthy said. “We
took the run away from them and forced
them to pass more than they wanted.”
An interception returned for a touchdown in the closing seconds of the first
half helped Oakridge to a 14-7 advantage.
FWCD to replace
Greenhill on 2004
football schedule
QB Jordan Campbell ’04 was one of four offensive starters who excelled at a position they
had never before played at the varsity level.
In the second half, “we dominated,”
McCarthy said. “The offense took care of
the ball and the defense stuffed them.”
The Hawks were on a four-game winning streak before losing to an ESD team
that ended up in the SPC Division II
championship game against Oakridge.
Arras, who led the team in rushing
with 76 carries for 450 yards, was not the
only player to step into a new situation
for the 2003 Hawks. All of the team’s top
offensive weapons succeeded in positions they had never played before at the
varsity level.
Quarterback Jordan Campbell ’04
proved to be a quick learner, ending the
season with 1,088 yards passing, with 10
Photo by Jim Reisch
ily during his time in the hospital truly touched us. In fact, my husthe 500 red chairs arranged around the front and sides of the
band and I discussed our feeling that the Cistercian community
altar, which stood on a raised platform against the gym’s west
acted exactly as we think God envisioned ‘the church’ — a comwall, then around the perimeter where an additional 500 mournmunity not bound together by zip codes but by the love all share for
ers stood three, four, even five deep.
God and for each other. The practical ways this was exhibited are
In the midst of Pachelbel’s Canon in D, various pieces by
a perfect example of our willingness to share each other’s burdens
Bach, a setting of Psalm 19, Áve Maria and The Lord’s Prayer
and to live in obedience to God’s desire for us ...‘to love one anothcame something unexpected and wonderfully fitting — the
er as God loved us.’ It blessed us to be a part of it.”
exploding timpani drums from Copeland’s Fanfare for the
Thus, in the midst of all the tragedy were sown the
Common Man. Suddenly I could see Seth in his strength,
seeds of hope; Seth and the entire Henderson family
speed, and grace running the option along the line of
were, in fact, surrounded by a community of “sowers”
scrimmage, and I knew that all would be well with the
— willing hearts who gave themselves over to
rest of the afternoon.
plowing the hard ground, broadcasting seed,
What a difficult, exhausting ordeal had, for so
and bearing fruit in many acts of kindness and
many, preceded this moment! What an accumulaof love — of bringing food and sharing piction of tragedy and sadness and grief; yet, simultatures, running errands, providing conversation
neously, what an expression of love and loyalty
and hugs and laughter. In the terrible struggle
and faith! All such contradiction seemed to be
there were others’ faces to look into, hands to
gathering in that gym in the hope of being
hold, hearts to bring encouragement, minds to
shaped into a meaning beyond the immeprobe for understanding, spirits with
diate mix of emotions and memories.
which to walk the difficult journey. And in
That shaping movement had, in fact,
the memorial mass all that seed was
begun the night before at the rosary
watered and nourished and began to grow.
prayed at the Chapel of the Incarnation
As one alumnus, Stephen Collins ’76,
reflected after the service, “What an aweon the University of Dallas campus.
some tribute to Seth. But perhaps even
Christa Arias’s poem, Goodbye Voices,
better, what an awesome tribute to our
one of several reflections made immediCistercian community. I had never seen a
ately after the rosary, was written from
Eulogies and
pulling together of the broad Cistercian
Seth’s point of view, and seemed to
Fr. Peter’s homily
community as I saw today. Nor had I seen
speak to everyone.
can be found at:
such depth of reach or emotion — the tenTheresa Powers, one of the trauma
www.cistercian.org
tacles of our Cistercian bonds reached far
nurses at Baylor who was assigned to
/school/publications
and wide today, in person and in spirit.”
Seth during the five weeks he was there,
In his homily Fr. Peter directed us to a
said, “I see so many emotions with fam“THE GREATEST STORY of them all,” said
Scriptural
analogy as he spoke about the
ily members. I try to put myself in their
Tyler Bethea ’03 in his Sept. 1 eulogy, “is
gymnasium as the setting for Seth’s
shoes, knowing that I can never truly
what has occurred in the hospital the
memorial service; it is like Bethany, the
comprehend their grief but only wishing
past five weeks and in this [gym] today.
home of Mary and Martha and Lazarus, a
I could help in some way. How do you
Seth was always a captain on the field,
place in which moments of great sorrow
not question God at a time like this?” She
calling on his team to come together in
times of difficulty. On this day it seems as
had succeeded moments of great joy. “But
and Fr. Eugene Azorji, one of Baylor’s
though Seth is playing captain again.”
in Bethany there was more than the joys of
Catholic chaplains, attended the memorilife and the sorrow of death. There was
al service. They had shared the grief and
infinitely more, for Jesus Christ himself was there, teaching and
pain of the Henderson family and were both deeply moved by
giving life. The warmth and love and support represented by so
the family’s love for each other, their gracious reception of the
many people here, the uplifting memories and funny stories —
near-constant stream of friends and well-wishers, and their
these tell us about the reality of life, the way we deal with the
unshakable faith. “It was very clear that Bob and Marilyn and
inevitable loss and suffering, the way we support one another. But
their sons depended on God first, and put the whole affair in His
Christ wants to teach us today, and I believe that Seth now wants to
hands and knew that He would take care of it,” Fr. Euguene
teach us, about life after death. He asks us to believe Him when He
remarked.
says, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me,
The strength of this faith was especially important for Seth’s
even if he should die, will live.’”
classmates and many friends, too young perhaps to comprehend
Following the eulogies and Abbot Denis’s final blessing, one
the situation fully yet all willing to make any sacrifice, to run any
could hear once again, as the crowd followed the family out of the
gauntlet that might give them in the end some assurance that Seth
gym toward the reception in the school lunchroom, those timpani
would be O.K. Yet, such assurance was not to be. Despite the
drums from Copeland’s Fanfare for the Common Man vigorousroller coaster of hopes and fears reflected in oldest brother
ly proclaiming Seth’s presence. “I will not leave you comfortless”
Tucker’s daily updates on the hotline — the reports themselves a
they seemed to proclaim to all present and left us knowing that
daily testimony to the power of faith, hope, and charity — the end
the Spirit had kept His promise and we were all — Seth, the
came on August 29. The long ordeal was over.
Henderson family, the Class of 2004, parents and friends — most
Nevertheless, even this dark cloud had a silver lining . Elaine
assuredly in His strong, gentle hands.
Bethea, the mother of one of Seth’s close friends expressed the
— Tom Pruit
thought of so many: “The outpouring of love for Seth and his fam-
B-ballers win first
tourney in new gym
The Hawks defeated Denton
Liberty 55-34 in the championship
game of the Cistercian Tip-Off Classic
on Nov. 22. Cistercian was led by
Tournament MVP Chandan Vangala
’04 (#2 guard) and All-Tournament
players Bobby Crews ’06 (#1 guard),
and Eric Ojeda ’05 (post). The tournament victories helped the Hawks
jump off to a quick 6-0 start.
Chandan Vangala drives to the hoop
during a win over Prestonwood
Christian in the Tip-Off Classic.
Beginning next autumn,
Greenhill and Cistercian will no
longer meet on the gridiron at
the varsity level.
The Hornets will be
replaced on next year’s schedule by Fort Worth Country Day,
which is moving down to
Division II. With the addition of
Country Day, the Hawks will
play eight SPC Division II
opponents, one Division I
opponent (Houston Episcopal),
and Pantego Christian.
Cistercian’s last win against
Greenhill came on October 8,
1999, during Coach Tom
Hillary’s final season. It was
one of Coach’s finest moments.
touchdowns and only four interceptions.
He also gained 371 yards on the ground.
Then there was wideout Stephen
Bailey ’04, who had not played since he
was a sophomore. Bailey finished with
53 receptions for 621 yards.
Finally, Matt Chee-Awai ’05 stepped
in at running back, rushing for 380 tough
yards on 76 carries. He also had not
played the previous year.
“You can’t do what these kids did at
most schools,” McCarthy insisted. “This is
part of what makes Cistercian so special.”
Not all of the team’s stars were newcomers to their positions. Steve Kinard
’04 (FB, LB), Cart Weiland ’04 (OL),
and Parker Wolf ’04 (OL, DL), have
anchored the team for years and each
won All-SPC honors along with Bailey
and Campbell. Bailey, Kinard, and
Campbell were selected to play in the
Tom Hillary Classic (the All-Star game
for private school players) held just
before Christmas.
Honorable Mention SPC recognition
went to Arras, Austin Nevitt ’04,
Matthew Lawson ’04, Jacob Arias ’04,
Tony Johnston ’05, Michael Abola ’05,
and Chee-Awai.
15